Yes, I have succumbed. I have bought an iPad. There are, I am sure, lots of things I will use it for. For starters it will save my eyes a lot of strain because I’ll now use Twitter and Reeder mostly on the iPad rather than on the iPhone. I’m also expecting to use it to read books. But the thing that has got me really excited about it is reading comics. The high quality screen makes them look really good. And, given how hard it is to get comics regularly in the UK, the ability to simply download them over the Internet is very useful indeed.
I’ll say more about the comics App in another post, but I thought it would also be useful to talk a bit about the technology. I did not buy a 3G iPad. Mostly I will be using mine at home, where I already have an excellent broadband service. When I do take it on the road I will be using a MiFi from 3. This is effectively a mobile router. It handles up to five different devices, so it will work with the iPad, my netbook and my laptop. This is a vast improvement on the O2 mobile broadband deal that I have, which is tied one one, and only one, computer. I haven’t used the MiFi with the computers yet, but it seems very promising. It also came warmly recommended by Lee Harris and Christine Burns. Hopefully this will put an end to my moaning about being unable to get online while traveling.
The wifi-only iPad plus MiFi strategy was what I settled on, too, and I couldn’t be happier with the result.
Oh, thanks! I didn’t know you could get a MiFi in the US.
Yep, through Verizon. I got a MiFi as well, anticipating using Verizon’s great service with a WiFi-only iPad, as opposed to AT&T’s crappy service with the 3G model here in the states.
Only to find out that when I travel to Puerto Rico (which is quite often and a perfect situation in which I can take only an iPad instead of a laptop), the quality situation is entirely reversed: Verizon in PR absolutely sucks, and AT&T has fantastic speeds. I ended up opting for the 3G version.
Talking of eBooks on the iPad, I was delighted to discover that, for some titles, you can download a free sample. This strikes me as the equivalent of standing in the shop and reading a chapter.
The reading experience is very comfortable on the eyes but less comfortable on the hand, I’ve found, as the iPad is slightly too heavy to hold for any prolonged time like a book. The best reading position is to prop the iPad somehow against something solid (such as a pile of books)
You have obviously never read George Martin or Steve Erikson in hardback. The iPad is a featherweight in comparison.
Also, thanks to the current degenerate state of my vision, I find it fairly comfortable to put the iPad on my lap and read it there.
The way people are complaining, I’m sure there will soon be some clever geek marketing in-bed / on-lap iPad reading stands. Did I mention I’m green with envy. We don’t have iPad in Estonia yet and when we do it will be out of my price range.
Which comic app are you using – Having to use comics sync (which does the job but doesnt Comic Rack meta tags for sorting). I’m told Comic Reader Mobi is the best – but thats only available for Jail Broken iPads as teh writer got band from the Apple store as he allowed file transfer via usb and got banned for it – he’s trying to get put back on.
Currently wading through all of Hellblazer again (I have them sitting on the shelf – but its so much easier on the iPad).
As per the Dust to Dust post, I’m using the Comixology app.
Oh and what did you do – Buy the mifi on payg and buy a 15GB for £15 contract and swap the sims round ? This is the best deal for iPad .. I brought the 3G one for the GPS but only use it with the mifi.
I just have the MiFi on PYG at the moment. I want to gauge how much I use before getting any sort of contract.
It’s early days I know, Cheryl, but how robust is the Thing would you say?
In my trial of the i pad in the Newcastle Upon Tyne Apple shop I did ask my sales Child .. they all appear to be about 12 years old .. what would happen if, say, one dropped one from about table top height to the floor by way of the edge of the counter .. had there been no ..er..acidents, I said?
The Childe looked horrified and turned a funny color and ..this will amaze you ! ..looked as if he wanted to grab the Thing from my trembling paws.
Oh come now it is a legitimate question surely?
On the basis of my limited experience the i pad looks to be the Tech Toy of The Decade but I will probably wait for the second generation before I buy one.
I suspect that a naked iPad is not the most robust piece of electronics in the world. However, just as with the iPhone, you can buy a case for it. That can be a cheap and functional rubbery case that feels like it might cushion shock, or an expensive, military grade case that will withstand just about anything short of a nuclear explosion.